When will the country ever develop if every new governor destroys projects that were started by his predecessor?
[SIZE=7]Murang’a Creameries shutdown sinks Sh1.5bn dream[/SIZE]
Friday, May 19, 2023
Quote:
The Sh1.5B Murang’a County Creameries (MCC) that was the hallmark of former governor Mwangi wa Iria’s administration has been pronounced dead, dashing the hopes of 45,000 dairy farmers. Governor Irungu Kang’ata announced on Wednesday that the factory was no longer functional.
…More painful for the residents, who have now lost more than Sh1.5 billion on the project, is the fact that chang’aa traders in the county are now brazenly claiming the milk plant so that they can use it as a chang’aa distillery.
Among the benefits that came with the milk plant were Sh300 million in subsidised artificial insemination services, Sh200 million for an animal feed processing plant and Sh100 million in vines and napier grass given to farmers to boost milk production.
Also lost with the death of the MCC were job opportunities for over 100 people and the collapse of the One Family One Cow project, which was estimated to be worth Sh800 million.
In 2015, dairy farmers were elated when Mr Wa Iria announced the procurement of 65 milk coolers to extend the shelf life of the milk supplied.
He then organised dairy farmers into cooperatives and imposed a minimum return guarantee of Sh35 per litre of milk, which improved the farm-gate price from Sh10.
In 2019, Mr Wa Iria rolled out the MCC processing plant in Maragua town, shining a brighter light on the 200,000 litres of white gold that farmers in the area produced on average every day.
The plant began packaging the milk and entered the race for market share, capturing 58 per cent of the district’s market.
As yields improved, Mr Wa Iria adjusted the price per litre payable to members to Sh43 by 2022 and Sh2 per litre as a bonus.
The MCC made Mr Wa Iria so famous that he harboured ambitions of contesting the 2022 presidential election, as Mt Kenya counties were jealous of the Sh5.6 billion annual dairy industry he had created.
The counties would send their farmers, accompanied by their MCAs, to Murang’a for lessons on good dairy practices.
penda sana.